James Madison University

From the White House to the Coast Guard

In less than ten years, Health Sciences graduate Aimee Labrecque ('97) has served as Director of the White House Athletic Center, written a book and has become a key policy-maker for the U.S. Coast Guard.

“I would really like to do that, but I don’t know if I can,” or “No one would ever hire ME for that position,” are two common phrases voiced by timid, unsure-of-themselves college freshmen. Many young people feel restrained by what they know they can do and what they think they can do. Few people actually realize the importance of taking risks and pushing themselves to achieve what ultimately they know they are capable of doing. However, Health Sciences graduate Aimee Labreque, is true testimony to the well-versed motto: “You can be whatever you want to be as long as you put your mind to it.”

Aimee started out at James Madison University as a Biology major; however, her background in high school athletics and her involvement with UREC (JMU’s University Recreation Center) re-directed her focus to pursuing a major in Health Sciences. She says that one class in particular, Health Behavior, proved extremely beneficial in her future career pursuits. The students were asked to complete a behavior modification project, in which they had to pick a friend or family member and attempt to change some negative behavior that they possessed. She says, “When you work with individuals, you learn quickly that their weight or body image issues have less to do with food or exercise and more to do with unhealthy habits. This course taught me how to help people change these habits outside of just saying, ‘you just need to eat right’ or ‘you just need to start exercising.’ Most people know this, they just don’t know how to start.”

Her interest in behavior modification was deepened by the internship that she took the summer between her junior and senior year, at the White House Athletic Center. It was there that she also found a full-time job after college. While instructing various fitness classes at the Athletic Center, Aimee found that White House executives were also aware of the importance in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “During my time there we added many different classes and all were well attended... [these classes gave them] a chance to channel their energy into something else besides their work,” she says.

After seven years at the White House Athletic Center, working her way up from Assistant Manager to Director, Aimee took a job for the Coast Guard and Homeland Security. She is currently the Health Promotion Program Manager, a position which puts her in control of developing the health guidelines for the entire organization. She says, “In the military, it’s sometimes difficult, due to deployment and other factors, to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay fit. These members rely on the policies we implement to help them achieve a high level of fitness and remain mission ready.”

Aimee’s abilities have proved limitless through her recent endeavor of co-authoring the book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Working Out with a Partner. She says, “It was a great experience, writing a book, and just another example of how you really have no idea what kind of doors will open for you when reach outside of your comfort zone. I never in a million years thought I would have a book published and the next thing I knew, I was getting paid to write a book!” Although Aimee’s career and life opportunities are far from what she expected, she does not rule out the same kind of success for anyone else. Her accomplishments can be embodied in the advice that she gives to current and future college students: “Don’t assume something is out of your reach…take chances – inevitably they lead somewhere great, or at least help you to learn a lot about yourself.”

Monday, March 10, 2008 12:15 PM